Skinner's Brewery
Skinner's is a British brewery founded in 1997 by Steve and Sarah Skinner in Truro, Cornwall, England, UK.
The company produces cask ales and bottled beers, the names of which often come from Cornish folklore. Several recent ales have a connection to surfing culture, such as Skin Dog Cornish lager, which is named after the owner's son, Ben "Skindog" Skinner who is a surfer. Several beers have won Campaign for Real Ale and SIBA awards. The company's pub, the Skinner's Ale House in Newquay, was sold, and is now called Leadbelly's. Skinners' new pub, "The Old Ale House" in Truro, serves their own ales, regular guest beers and ciders. They run tours of their brewery for individuals or groups. The company sponsors the Skinner's Brewery Cornwall Cup.
In 2010–11 the company closed two of its sites at Chacewater and Devoran after purchasing a 10,000 square feet site next to its headquarters for storage and distribution.
Beers
Skinner's Brewery cask ale range includes:Name | ABV | Description |
Betty Stogs | 4.0% | Skinners' best selling beer which, according to the company, has won more local and national awards than any other Cornish beer. It is an easy-drinking copper ale with a light hop aroma and a taste that is a balance of citrus hops, malt and bitterness. It is named after Betty Stogs from Cornish folklore, who was a native of West Cornwall and described as unkempt and lazy, couldn't cook or knit and liked a drop of ale. It won the CAMRA prize for Champion Best Bitter in 2008. |
Heligan Honey | 4.0% | A light, refreshing bitter with a pale amber colour and hoppy overtones. Honey is added at the end of the brewing process to give it a subtle flavour. It was awarded SIBA National Champion Speciality Beer. |
Ginger Tosser | 3.8% | A hoppy golden session beer with a round finish and a hint of ginger. |
Cornish Knocker | 4.5% | Skinners say this was one of the original golden ales and remains one of the most popular. It is flowery and fruity with malty undertones and a clean, lasting bittersweet finish. |
Keel Over | 4.2% | A classic mid-strength Cornish amber bitter. |
Figgys Brew | 4.5% | Named after the infamous Lands End ship-wrecker Madgy Figgy, it is the maltiest of Skinners regular beers and slightly darker in colour. It is a premium strength, full flavoured ale with a smooth finish. |
Spriggan Ale | 3.8% | A light golden session bitter. |
Porthleven | 4.8% | A special edition strong pale ale, available on draught during the summer. Skinners describe it as "one of the palest, fruitiest, zingy and exciting strong beers you will ever taste". |
Skinner's range of seasonal ales include:
Name | ABV | Description |
St Piran's Ale | 4.5% | St Piran's is named after the patron saint of Cornwall and is a strong golden ale made with Styrian Golding hops which give it a distinct flowery aroma. |
Cornish Trawler | 3.6% | Skinners' New Year golden ale is a hoppy session ale with hints of citrus and sweet malts. It is available on draught every January and February. |
Splendid Tackle | 4.2% | A golden ale brewed specially for the six nations rugby tournament every February and March. |
Hunny Bunny | 4.5% | A strong golden ale originally brewed only for Easter, but now all year round, flavoured with Cornish honey. |
Kernow King | 4.3% | A light golden ale. |
Green Hop | 4.2% | A pale coloured bitter brewed in September using freshly harvested wet hops. |
Pennycomequick | 4.5% | Brewed in October and named after Falmouth's original name, Pennycomequick is Skinners stout. |
Cornish Scream | 4.3% | A copper ale brewed for Halloween. |
Betty's Big Sister | 5.3% | A strong winter ale brewed from October and throughout the winter. |
Christmas Fairy | 3.9% | A light, crisp session ale made for Christmas. |
Jingle Knocker | 5.5% | Skinner's strong Christmas ale. |
Cornish Blonde | 5.0% | Straw coloured wheat beer with a subtle citrus finish. |
Skindog Lager | 4.4% | A light Cornish lager named after the Skinners' son, Ben "Skindog" Skinner. |
Lushingtons | 4.2% | One of Skinner's latest beers, is a fruity pale ale named after a popular Cornish surf break in Porthtowan. Made using a blend of three unusual hops from the US, including Belma which is a new hop being used for the first time in the UK. |
Past seasonal and speciality ales include:
- Poppy Ale
- Mousehole Moonshine
- Pint of Two-Halves
- Riggin' Ale
- Royal Wave
- Sennen
- New Year's Resolution